Some international students have been left confused and angry following Australia's tightening of the eligibility of temporary work visas that are critical for their life plans.
It comes after Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil announced a long-awaited "migration strategy" the government said would overhaul the current "broken" migration system.
Under the new policy, the maximum eligible age for international students to get a temporary graduate work visa will be reduced from 50 to 35 years old.
While the strategy is purportedly about building Australia's "skilled workforce", some international students currently studying the skills in demand are furious.
They fear the changed policy will mean they won't be able to work in Australia if they graduate after turning 36.
Kenneth Chen, an undergraduate student majoring in community services, said his plan had always been to find a job in the field he studied in Australia.
But he will be older than 36 when he finishes his course.
"I am devastated," he said, urging the government to reconsider.
"As international students we paid the same fee [as younger students], studied what Australia needs, but can't access the visa [like younger students].
"I don't know why this is not age discrimination."
The Temporary Graduate Visa allows students studying certain degrees to gain work experience in Australia after they finish their studies and also offer a pathway to a permanent visa.
But the new migration strategy said some international students were "visa hopping" and exploiting the system "to extend their stay in Australia when they have little prospect of becoming permanent residents".
Onshore students face uncertainty
In a statement to the ABC, a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said lowering the age eligibility to 35 would encourage "early career professionals who can contribute to the Australian economy over a longer period".
Australia's post-study work rights would "give everyone an opportunity to demonstrate their potential and ability to contribute to the Australian economy but provide clear boundaries so former students do not become 'permanently temporary'," they said.
But experts say for international students like Mr Chen, who started their studies with the expectation to work in Australia after graduation, it's only fair that the government creates a transitional arrangement for them.
Melbourne migration agent Cathy Yu said about 20 per cent of her clients who applied for a graduate work visa were students older than 35, and many students had already enquired about the impacts of the age requirement change since Monday's announcement.
Ms Yu said it was reasonable for the government to look at reforming the migration system and focus on attracting overseas people who are highly skilled and young.
But she said it left current international students, as well as those who had already applied to study in Australia, in limbo.
Abul Rizvi, former deputy secretary of the immigration department, said targeting net migration was a good development, but noted there were already 2.6 million temporary visa holders in Australia.
"The question is what's going to happen to them?" Mr Rizvi asked.
He said many temporary visa holders would remain "permanently temporary" for a long time.
'Broken promise' for those already here
Gary Xu, an international student studying computer science in Adelaide, said he had been preparing to enrol in a PhD program once he earned his masters degree next year.
Though Mr Xu is still a few years away from turning 36, he worries when he finishes his PhD studies, he will not be eligible for a graduate work visa.
It was only in July this year that the government allowed international students who graduate with a masters degree in some areas of study to apply for graduate work visas with longer stays of up to five years.
"Now they are changing it back [to three years] and adding an age requirement," Mr Xu said.
"It feels to me they [Australia] needed skilled migrants and then they don't need us anymore. It's hard to understand their logic," Mr Xu said.
Mr Xu said he might be able to apply for his graduate work visa before turning 36, but only if he finishes his studies in three years and nothing goes awry with his visa application.
So far, Mr Xu says he hasn't changed his mind about completing his PhD in Adelaide, but he might choose to move elsewhere if Australia doesn't allow him to work after his education.
Mr Chen, who worked as a tour guide for Chinese tourists before changing his career during the pandemic, said he would continue his study despite the possible change of work visa eligibility.
"International students who are in their 30s often think differently from those who are in their 20s. We often have a clearer career plan and we know there is a work visa available when we graduate," he said.
"It just feels like they have broken their promise."
Students say lifting English requirement could be good in long run
The age eligibility change also affects Hong Kongers who were promised a permanent visa pathway by Australia in 2020 after millions of people in the city protested against China's extradition law.
Australia extended the length of the graduate work visa for Hong Kong students to five years and allowed them to transition to a permanent visa afterwards.
The extension was meant to help "highly talented individuals" from Hong Kong "to remain in or relocate to a free, democratic country like Australia".
Chan Vicky, 36, who is from Hong Kong, says she has been working hard to save money and improve her English so that she can study a masters degree in accounting in Australia next year.
She also hopes to eventually apply for a permanent visa.
However, if the new age requirement were to also apply to Hong Kong applicants, her efforts would be in vain.
"We've been learning English for years so that we can have a better IELTS [for university application]."
"I'm very disappointed by the change."
As well as the age limit, students applying for a graduate visa from early next year will require a score under the International English Language Testing System of 6.5 (up from 6.0), while student visa applicants will need a 6.0 (up from 5.5).
The increase in language requirements might make it difficult for Lita, an Indonesian student who is studying Italian cookery at TAFE in Melbourne.
However, she thinks that this change can make things better in the long run.
"Nowadays, finding work has become more difficult because there are more newcomers, some of whom don't speak English very well and are difficult to talk to," she told the ABC.
As a student who works part time in the restaurant industry, Lita said the Australian government's efforts to reduce migration numbers was the right one as it was now more difficult to find work and a place to live.
"There are too many staff but not enough working hours, so it's like we're fighting for shifts," Lita said.
Apart from aiming to increase her skills in the culinary field, Lita hopes to eventually become a permanent resident in Australia.
If she can't stay in Australia, she will return to Indonesia.
Additional reporting by Chynthia Wijaya-Kovac